Prophetic Word 16th December 2021 (Reconciliation Day)
They may seek to curse, but I will BLESS!
I will shine my face upon you!
Seek to reconcile and be reconciled with Me.
I am holding you in the palm of My hand!
These are the words that God gave me on Reconciliation Day, a day to reconcile both with each other and The Almighty.
History of Reconciliation Day
Reconciliation Day, formerly known as the Day of the Covenant and the Day of the Vow, has been a religious public holiday in South Africa since 1910.
It was initially called Dingane's Day (Dingaansdag in Afrikaans), a reference to the Zulu ruler of the defeated attackers.
This day originates with The Battle of Blood River on December 16th 1838 where the besieged Voortrekkers made a covenant with God before the battle, led by Sarel Cilliers.
In return for God's help in obtaining victory, they promised to build a church and that they and their descendants would forever honour this day as a Holy Sabbath.
During the battle, a group of about 470 Voortrekkers defeated about 20,000 Zulus, a case of the few defeating the many, with God's grace and blessing upon them.
The Israelites Victory Was Assured
As I once again pondered the outcome of current events, my attention was drawn to Balaam, a Seer whose account can be found in Numbers 22-24.
This story describes how Balak the Moabite king, summoned Balaam, a diviner, to place a curse on the Israelites so that he could defeat them.
A good way to remember who is who is that Balak (with a k) is the king, and Balaam, with 2 a's as in baal, is the diviner.
Moab was one of the lands that the Israelites were promised, blessed with and later seized as part of the Promised Land that God gave them.
Prior to this, the Lord spoke to Moses and told him how to bless all of the Israelites with the priestly blessing, together with how to take ownership of the land, and it is here that we discover that blessing plus obedience equals victory.
Every Man Listed By Name
In the second year after God had brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He told Moses to take a census of the whole community, listing every man by name.
God instructed Moses and Aaron to count all the men who were 20 years of age or more and able to serve in the army and He gave them full details of how to take ownership of the promised land He had given to Abraham and his descendants.
The Promised Land relates to both the homeland of the Jewish people and also to salvation and liberation.
The total number of men was 603,550 excluding the Levites as they were appointed to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law and all its furnishings.
The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded.
God's Blessing on The Israelites
God then told Moses to tell Aaron and his sons how to bless the Israelites with the priestly blessing, so His name would be on them and they would be blessed (Numbers 6:22-27)
This is the blessing the Israelites were given:
"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."
Because of this blessing, the Israelites were protected and their victory was assured.
For if God is for us, none can be against us. (Romans 8:31)
Balak Summons Balaam To Curse The Israelites
In taking the territory that was given to them, Balak had seen what the Israelites had done to the Amorites as they had captured all their cities and occupied them (Numbers 21:25-26) and Moab was terrified and filled with dread.
Knowing that they were too powerful for him, he sent messengers to summon Balaam, a diviner, to put a curse on the Israelites so that he could defeat them and drive them out.
The nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain.
The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against His anointed, but the One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath, saying, "I have installed My king on Zion, My holy mountain." (Psalm 2:1-6)
Balaam Instructed by God
God told Balaam that he must not go with the officials and that he must not put a curse on the Israelites because they are blessed.
The Moabite officials returned to Balak and told him that Balaam had refused to come with them, and upon hearing this, Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.
They told Balaam that he must not let anything keep him from coming to put a curse on the Israelites and that they would reward him handsomely and do whatever he says.
Balaam told them that even if Balak gave him all the silver and gold in his palace, he could not do anything to go beyond the command of the Lord his God.
That night, God came to Balaam again and told him that since these men have come to summon him, he was to go with them, but to only do what He tells them. So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.
The Angel of the Lord Opposes Balaam
But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord with a drawn sword in his hand blocked his path three times to oppose him.
Only the donkey was able to see the angel of the Lord and each time, it turned away, eventually laying down under Balaam, and each time Balaam beat it with his staff.
Then the Lord opened the donkey's mouth, and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
Balaam told the donkey that he had made a fool out of him and if only he had a sword in his hand, he would kill him right now.
The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" To which Balaam replied "No".
The Angel of the Lord Reveals Himself
Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn.
So he bowed low and fell facedown.
The angel of the Lord asked him why he had beaten his donkey these three times and told him that he had come to oppose him because his path is reckless.
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and turned away from him three times because if it had not turned away, the angel of the Lord would certainly have killed him by now, but spared the donkey.
Balaam told the angel of the Lord that he had sinned and that he did not realise he was standing in the road to oppose him, and that if he was displeased, he would go back.
The Angel of the Lord Instructs Balaam Again
The angel of the Lord told Balaam to go with the men, but speak only what he tells him, so Balak went with Balak's officials.
When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town at the edge of his territory.
Balak asked Balaam why he didn't come to him when he sent him an urgent summons and asked him if he really wasn't able to reward him.
Balaam told him that he come to him now but that he can't say whatever he pleases and that he must speak only what God puts in his mouth.
Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth and Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him.
7 Altars, 7 Bulls & 7 Rams
The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal (an elevated point in the land of Moab, meaning high place), and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.
Balaam told Balak to build him 7 altars there and prepare 7 bulls and 7 rams for him.
Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Then Balaam told Balak to stay there beside his offering while he goes aside and that perhaps the Lord will come to meet with him, and that whatever the Lord reveals, he will tell him.
God met with him and Balaam told him that he had prepared 7 altars, and on each altar he had offered a bull and a ram.
Balaam's Three Words From God
The Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth and told him to go back to Balak and give him this word, which he did. Instead of cursing the Israelites as Balak had requested, Balaam blessed them as God had, as he had to speak what the Lord put in his mouth.
Then Balak took Balaam to another place where he could see only the outskirts of their camp, and asked Balaam to curse the Israelites a second time.
Again, they built 7 altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar, and Balaam told Balak to stay beside his offering while he met with God.
The Lord met with Balaam again and put a word in his mouth a second time, and told him to go back to Balak and give him this word, which again, he did. Again, Balaam blessed the Israelites as God had, telling Balak that he must do whatever the Lord said.
One last time Balak repeated the process and this time, Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel and he did not resort to divination, but this time, turned his face toward the wilderness.
No Man Can Go Beyond The Command of The Lord
When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him and he spoke his prophecy and blessed them a third time, saying
"May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!"
Then Balak's anger burned against Balaam, ordering him to leave at once and go home and telling him that the Lord has kept him from being rewarded.
Balaam told Balak that he had told his messengers that even if he had given him all the silver and gold in his palace, that he could not do anything of his own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord - and that he must say only what the Lord says.
God's word is final, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, what God ordains, no man can change.
No-One Can Overcome God
Balaam then warned Balak of what the Israelites will to do to the Moabites in days to come which included crushing the foreheads of Moab.
He then saw Amelek and told them that their end will be utter destruction.
He then saw the Kenites and told them that they too will be destroyed when Ashur takes them captive.
He then spoke his final message summing up that no-one can overcome God and all who try will come to ruin.
Balaam then got up and returned home and Balak went on his way.
God's Blessing & Protection
With God's blessing and protection, the angel of the Lord will oppose the plans of the wicked and block their path.
God holds us in the palm of His hand, going both with us and before us, guiding our steps.
Wicked men may plot against us and they may seek to curse, but God will BLESS!
What God opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. (Isaiah 22:22)
Let us therefore march to victory in full obedience to the Lord, with God by our side, as we cross over into the Promised Land, where our victory is assured.